Electric signal lamp



Sptw 29' p FOY ELECTRIC SIGNAL LAMP Filed Aug. 26. 1927 @g55/WM ltktrical connections to signal lamps,

Patented Sept. 2, 1930 I UNITED STA-TES PATENT-OFFICE :PATRICK FOY, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS ELEcraIo SIGNAL -muur i Application ledAug'ust 26, 1927. Serial No. 215,661.

' This invention relates to an electric' signal lamp-and has for an object to provide an improved mount-ing for the electric ,light bulbs of simplified and durable construction,.which A may be economically manufactured. A special object of the improvedmounting is to obviate possible injury to the bulbs due to insertion and extraction from the sockets. A further object is to provide simplified elecespecially those having two separate signa such as in the combination stop and tail lights automobiles. It consists in certain features and elements of construction, herein shownv 1 5 and described as indicated bythe claim.

In the drawings: y Figure 1 is a plan View ofa combination l -stop and tail lightsignal lamp with the cover removed,

mounting.

Figure 2 is a 'plan view of the casing of the signal lamp shown in Fi ure 1, with bulbs and mounting removed to s ow the electrical Contact connections.

illustrating the improved bulb Figure 3 is a perspective view of thel improved mounting, illustrating the manner of supporting the bulbs. Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through i the complete signal lamp taken substantiallyl as indicated by line 4 4, Figure 1. f

Figure 5 is a transverse section through the casing, taken online5---5, Figure 2, showing the socket for the lead in terminals and electrical connections for the bulbs.

The signal lam ,as illustrated inthe drawing, is jot the com ination stop and tail light type, having a ressed metal casing, l0, and acover, 1 1. T e cover which is lit-ted with glasses, 12, for alignment over the res ective compartments of the casing, is attache thereto by screws, 13,'enga 'ng lugs, 14, formed on the inner wall of sai casing.v The casing is divided into two com artments,15, and 16, by'a partition plate, 1 ,'slidable transversely in the casing between'a pair of guide strips, 18, secured to the inner walls o the casing,

\ on opposite sides.

The upper edge'ofthe partition plate engages the underside of the cover so as to sub- 5 stantially exclude the light from one comused on partment to the other. These compartments, 15 and 16, serve respectively as .stop light and ltail light compartments and are provided l with electric light bulbs, 19 and 20, mounted in a removable. carrier, of which the artition plate,v17, is a main part. The bul sare of the usual single 'contact type, with the center contact point 21 at the bottomof the metal base, 22. The bulb, 19, is considerably -larger thanbulb, 20, inthe tail light compartment, due to the fact that reater intensity of light 1s required in daylig t to make the stop light signal plainly visible. The-removable carrier includes a bracket 23, attached to the partition plate, 17, and extending into the tail light compartment and havin its end portion, 24, bent at a right angle an parallel to said artition plate. The partition plate ,the base oithe bulb, 19, while the end portion,

24; of the bracket is also provided with lip supports, 26, for the base ofthe small bulb,

20. As may be seen from the drawing these lip supports extend toward the opposite ends o the casing for supporting the res ective bulbs in opposite relation, but in centra alignment with the casing and each other. On both the partition plate and end portion, 24, of the bracket are additional pairs of supporting lips, 27, formed intermediate the lips, 25, and

and extending laterally Iin opposite direction to the lips, 25 and 26. The lips, 27, of each pair are dis Osed diametrically opposite each other an are each provided with a usual irregular slot, 28, for engagement by the studs, 30, on the bases of the bulbs for the usual bayonet socket connection. The lips, 25, 26 and 27 are all shaped to conform to the curved bases of the respective bulbs which they support.

As may beseen from Figure 4 the contact oint-s, 21,v ofthe bulbs, extend beyond the ips, 27, the contact on bulb, 19, being engaged by a spring contact bar, 31, carried on an insulatin'g block, 32, and extending there#` through with the end terminating in a con-A tact point within the lead in wire socket, 33,

which is secured as by soldering tothe outside 'of the bottom or back 'of the casing, 10, having prongs, 34, extending upwardly through the insulating block, 32, and clinched thereoverfor holdin the same in place. A second spring contact ar, 35, engages the contact, 21, on bulb, 20, and is also secured to the insulated block with its end terminating in a contact point in socket, 33. p

Thus it will be clear that the spring contact bars, 31 and 35, will yieldingly maintain the bulbs, 19 and 20, in locked position in their sockets'formed by the lips, 25, 26 and 27.v Further, the bulbs are held in positlon andv cannot without extremely excessive jarring become dislodged from their sockets. Yet, the carrier, which comprises partition plate, 17, and bracket, 24, may be bodily removed from the casing at will, together with the bulbs, 19 and 20, by merely removing the cover 11;-the contact bars, -3l and 35 being slid- 'ably disengageable from the contacts on the bulbs. After extracting the carrier from the casing, the bulbs, being released from pressure of the contact sprinvfs, 31 and 35, may be easily removed from .their sockets. This arrangement avoids braking and damaging.

the bulbs in removing or inserting in sockets, which heretofore frequently resulted, due to either corrosion of the bulb base to the socket orto excessive spring pressure at the contact, causing breakage when compressing the spring While turning the bulb in the socket.

I claim.:

A signallin apparatus comprising a casing having a ack walland an open frontv "face, a pair of stationary contact ngers carried by the back wall, a bulb carrier for the casing, said carrier being removable from and insertable into the casing through the open front wall thereof, lamp bulbs mounted on the carrier with their base contacts engaging the stationary contact lingers when the carrier is in place within the casing, the stationary Contact fingers being directed for- Wardly in the general direction of movement of the base contacts of the bulbs whereby to prevent interference between the contact fingers and the bulb carrier, and a cover plate for the open front end of the casing, said cover being removable independently of the carrier forinspection of the bulbs, contact lingers, and carrier positioned within the caslng.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago this 24th day of August,

PATRICK FOY.

It Willbe understood that the bulbs, 19 and i 17, to the vehicle frame; the contact bar, 35,

completing the circuit through suitable leadin wire to the terminal of said bar to a switch 4on the vehicle in a usual manner. The electr1c a1 connections need not be further ex, plained, except to point out that the connection to a combination fixture, as herein described, is simplified b having only one socket to the casin for cad-in wires for operating both signa s.

A pair of studs, 40, are riveted to the bottom of the casing, 10, for mounting the signal device on a. vehicle. The tail light compartment, 16, has an opening, 41, cut into the end portion of the wall of the casing, which is the bottom ofv the casin when the device is in mounted position. his opening. may he covered by a screen or piece of suitable transpar- Y ent material', such as celluloid, as indicated at 42, so that the light from the tail light, 20, may be also directed'downward in a custom- 

